Former cadet instructor jailed for sex abuse

By Dirk Meissner The Canadian Press

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ESQUIMALT, B.C. – A former deputy commander of a Victoria-based military cadet corps saluted a court martial judge Wednesday and promised to never again sexually abuse young people just moments after he was sentenced to 12 months in jail and banished from the Canadian Forces.

2nd Lt. Daniel Moriarity, 26, entered the military court as a captain, but Judge Lt.-Col. Louis-Vincent D’Auteuil demoted him to the lowest officer command ranking of second lieutenant, saying the once promising military reservist was being groomed as a commanding officer but had abused his power to fulfil his desires.

Moriarity was convicted of two charges of sexual exploitation and one charge each of sexual assault and sexual interference by a military court last October in connection with attacks on a 15-year-old boy at the Lt.-Gen. Ashton Armoury in Victoria and a 16-year-old girl at the Vernon, B.C., army cadet camp.

The court martial heard Moriarity met the girl when she was 13 years old at the Vernon cadet camp, which is attended by hundreds of cadets ranging in age from 12 to 19 years old.

The relationship included sexual intercourse and numerous email and video exchanges.

The court martial heard Moriarity aggressively pursued a relationship with a male cadet at the Victoria armoury. Moriarity’s attempts at forming a relationship with the boy started in 2008 and included inappropriate online advances and attempts to touch the boy.

During Moriarity’s sentencing, D’Auteuil said the victims are still emotionally dealing with the man’s actions.

He said the female victim feels betrayed.

“She put all the trust she could in you and you let her down,” D’Auteuil told Moriarity. “You took advantage of a vulnerable young person and you were committing a breach of trust toward her.”

D’Auteuil noted the male physically fought off Moriarity to stop his advances.

“Enough was enough,” D’Auteuil said.

In a joint submission, military prosecutor Steve Richards and Moriarity’s defence lawyer Sarah Collins called for the 12-month sentence, rank demotion and military expulsion.

D’Auteuil said his sentence must reflect respect for the law, maintenance of discipline, protection of the public, denunciation of unlawful conduct and rehabilitation of the offender.

Moments after D’Auteuil delivered his sentence, the defence submitted an application to release Moriarity pending an appeal.

Moriarity was subsequently released and granted 30 days to file an appeal.

D’Auteuil cited reports that found Moriarity a low-to-moderate risk to reoffend.

Moriarity then testified during the release hearing on Wednesday, saying he takes full responsibility for his actions and vowed he would never repeat his actions.

“I just wanted to let your honour know, the court know, I’m very apologetic for what happened,” he told the hearing. “I can be a productive member of society. I will do everything in my power to make sure I would never reoffend.”

Moriarity said if he was held in custody pending his appeal, “it would drastically affect me immediately. After leaving this room, I would be immediately severed from my family.”

He said he is currently living with his father, taking counselling, working part-time and planning to attend college in January, where he is enrolled in a business program.

Moriarity said he is not on duty as a cadet, has no contact with cadet members under 19 and is not in touch with his victims.

Moriarity was deputy commanding officer of the Victoria Signal Armoury Cadet Corps 3005 when he was arrested.

The sentence also means Moriarity will have to submit DNA samples for the National Sex Offender Registry.